The longtime manager of Government Street True Value hardware, which closed in mid-January after more than 15 years in business at 2882 Government St., is planning to open his own, independent hardware store in the Overpass Cleaners building at 2929 Perkins Road, which has sat vacant since the dry cleaners closed nearly one year ago.
Henry Bingham, who managed the Government Street hardware store for nine years, has signed a one-year lease for the Overpass building and has already begun renovating the space. Prior to the closure of Government Street Hardware, Bingham acquired the store’s remaining inventory and he says he hopes to be open for business later this month.
“We’re happy to bring a hardware store back to that neighborhood,” says Bingham, whose new store will be called Our Hardware.
For years, the Perkins Road overpass neighborhood was home to Perkins Road Hardware. But the store was destroyed by fire in December 2006. The building has since been redeveloped into the mixed-use property that houses Rock ‘n Sake, Jimmy John’s, the Big Squeezy and several apartments.
The owner of the Overpass Cleaners building, Joyce McIntire, says she is thrilled to have a new tenant. Initially, Bingham will lease only the front portion of the building, which totals around 2,700 square feet. The rear of the building still houses dry cleaning equipment.
The former Government Street hardware store building, meanwhile, is under new ownership. Rhonda and Peter Fornaris acquired the 5,345-square-foot property in mid-January for $360,000 from its longtime owner, Tom Theriot. Rhonda Fornaris says Theriot, who also owned the hardware store, sold the building and closed the store because he is retiring.
The Fornarises, who are involved in other real estate ventures, are doing a thorough renovation of the property and hope to attract a high-end retail tenant or a restaurant.
“If someone wants to come in and build it out as a restaurant we’d be happy to have them,” she says. “There is space for outdoor seating and plenty of parking. It’s a wonderful area.”
—Stephanie Riegel
